Stagger coiling apparatus



Jan. 4, 1966 J. w MARTT 3,

STAGGER GOILING APPARATUS Filed March 12, 1964 EDGE ALIGN M ENT CONTROLS INVENTOK JUDSON w. MARTT BY S%M @M ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent l Filed Mar ..12,.1964, Ser- No. 351,456

4 Claims. (Cl. 242-571) The invention is concerned with coiling strip. material toproduce coils of a desired configuration such as a rectilinear or curvilinear stagger edge.

Stagger winding, as this process is referred to in the steelmaking art, has special utility in winding metallic strip because of strip edge problems associated with tandem rolling of metal and coating of metal strip. Advantages and usefulness of stagger winding are well known in the art and are discussed in US. Patents No. 2,728,533 and No. 3,099,170.

Commercial devices for stagger winding steel strip coils have been expensive and cumbersome and require auxiliary drives to function.

An object of the present invention is to provide apparatus which overcomes shortcomings of the prior art in a simplified manner by interrelating directly reel revolutions and edge configuration utilizing control apparatus not previously contemplated for stagger winding.

The accompanying drawing is a schematic diagram of a specific embodiment of the present invention. Strip 2 is being wound on reel 4 to produce coil 6. A straight edge configuration can be produced by use of edge alignment controls 8 in a conventional manner. Edge alignment controls 8 rely on a sensing head 10 to determine the lateral position of edge 11 with respect to coil 6 as it is being formed. The edge alignment controls 8 move winding reel 4 with respect to approaching strip 2 in order to build up a straight edge configuration. Apparatus for this purpose is well known in the art using a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 12 which acts through gear box 14 to move winding reel 4 and coil 6 with respect to base 16. Edge alignment systems are available, for example, from the Askania Regulator Company, Chicago, Illinois. A typical edge alignment system is described specifically in US. Patent No. 2,814,487.

The invention utilizes sensing means 10 and edge a1ignment controls 8 to effect the desired c-oil edge configuration. Some of the standard functions of edge alignment controls 8 are maintained and the stagger wind function added. In the process, a cyclic signal for desired edge configuration is derived from the reel revolutions, thus tying the edge control operation directly to Winding speed in a simplified and direct manner.

One means for carrying out the invention employs a reducing gear 20 connected by coupler 22 to winding reel shaft 24. Eccentric cam 26 is driven by reducing gear 20 and periodically, for example every 200* revolutions, alternately closes switches 30 and 32 to generate a signal which is fed over electrical conductors 34 and 36, respectively, to a solenoid-operated valve 40. With reducing gear 20 coupled directly to winding reel shaft 24, the signal generated is synchronized directly with reel revolutions.

Solenoid-operated valve 40 controls flow from pneumatic air supply 42 and alternately delivers air pressure via conduits 44 and 46 to pneumatic cylinder 50. p

Pneumatic cylinder 50 houses piston 52 which is connected to rod 54. The latter supports sensing head carriage 56. Pneumatic pressure delivered to side 58 of cylinder 50 moves piston 52 and rod 54 to the left, i.e., edge sensing means 10 moves toward the longitudinal centerline of strip 2. Oppositely disposed air pressure, on side 60 of piston 52, moves rod 54 and sensing head 10 to the right, i.e., away from the longitudinal centerline 3,227,389 Fatented Jan. 4, 1966 ice of the strip 2. It should be noted that sensing head 10 can be positioned initially with respect to strip 2 by control 62, which may be hand or automatically operated.

In operation of this embodiment, reel revolutions are measured through reducing gear 20 and, as a specific number of revolutions are counted, the cam 26, driven by the reducing gear 26, contacts limit switch 30. Closing limit switch 3.0 actuates solenoid valve 40 causing pneumatic pressure to be delivered over line 46 to side 53 of cylinder 50. Piston 52 is driven to the left with sensing head It) moving toward the centerline of the strip. After a predetermined number of revolutions cam 26 closes switch 32 causing the pneumatic valve 40 to release air pressure from line 46 and deliver air pressure via line 44 to side 60 of cylinder 50. Piston 52 is driven to the right and sensing head 10 moves away from the longitudinal center line of the strip. As described, a rectilinear stagger is effected.

The above embodiment is readily adaptable to variations as needed in mill practice. For example, a control 64 can be used to vary the speed of changeover of air pressure from one side of the piston 52 to the other. Speed of change-over can be selected dependent upon strip gauge and winding speed. Heavier gauge material should not ordinarily be swung through a stagger of 1", for example, during a single revolution since buckling of the strip can result. Air control 64 permits selection of speed of change-over.

Air control 64 in combination with solenoid valve 40 can also be used to provide gradual change-over during an entire cycle so that a curvilinear edge stagger can be eifected rather than a rectilinear edge stagger.

The lateral movement of edge sensing head 10 per cycle can be adjusted through selection of solenoid valve 40, by pressure releases on cylinder 50, or air control 64. Mechanism suitable for carrying out the invention and adjustable features will be obvious to those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure.

in describing the invention, a specific embodiment has been set forth. From this description, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other mechanisms can be used and/ or other mechanisms eliminated While still taking advantage of the principle of the invention herein described. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited by the specific elements set forth but rather the scope of the invention is to be determined from the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with strip coiling structure utilizing edge alignment controls which move a winding reel axially in response to sensing by a strip sensing means of lateral positioning of strip approaching a winding reel, apparatus for controlling axial movement of the winding reel to produce a coil of staggered edge configuration, comprising means connected to the winding reel for measuring reel revolutions and producing an indication of reel revolutions,

switch means actuated cyclically by the means for measuring reel revolutions, and

positioning means connected to the strip sensing means for moving the strip sensing means laterally with respect to strip travel, the positioning means being actuated by cyclic operation of the switch means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the means for measuring reel revolutions includes means for counting reel revolutions and producing a signal in response to a predetermined number of revolutions, and

the drive means includes a pneumatic cylinder which moves the strip sensing means alternately toward and away from the longitudinal centerline of the strip in response to the signal produced by the means for counting reel revolutions to cause rectilinear-stagger edge coiling.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the positioning means for the strip sensing means is pneumatically operated to move the strip sensing means in an alternating cycle toward and away from the longitudinal centerline of the strip in synchronism with reel revolutions.

4. In combination with strip coiling structure utilizing edge alignment controls which move a Winding reel axially in response to sensings by a strip sensing means of lateral positioning of strip approaching the winding reel, apparatus for controlling movement of the winding reel to produce a coil of staggered edge configuration, comprising means coupled to the winding reel to count reel revolutions and periodically produce a signal in synchronism with reel revolutions,

switch means actuated cyclically by the means coupled to the winding reel in response to the signal produced periodically in response to reel revolutions, and

pneumatic drive means connected to the strip sensing means for moving the strip sensing means laterally with respect to strip travel, the neumatic drive means being actuated periodically in response to cyclic operation of the switch means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,558,761 7/1951 Kentis 24257.1 2,672,299 3/1954 Jones 242-57.1 2,946,532 7/1960 Carter 24257.1

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH STRIP COILING STRUCTURE UTILIZING EDGE ALIGNMENT CONTROLS WHICH MOVE A WINDING REEL AXIALLY IN RESPONSE TO SENSING BY A STRIP SENSING MEANS OF LATERAL POSITIONING OF STRIP APPROACHING A WINDING REEL, APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE WINDING REEL TO PRODUCE A COIL OF STAGGERED EDGE CONFIGURATION, COMPRISING MEANS CONNECTED TO THE WINDING REEL FOR MEASURING REEL REVOLUTIONS AND PRODUCING AN INDICATION OF REEL REVOLUTIONS, SWITCH MEANS ACTUATED CYCLICALLY BY THE MEANS FOR MEASURING REEL REVOLUTIONS, AND POSITIONING MEANS CONNECTED TO THE STRIP SENSING MEANS FOR MOVING THE STRIP SENSING MEANS LATERALLY WITH RESPECT TO STRIP TRAVEL, THE POSITIONING MEANS BEING ACTUATED BY CYCLIC OPERATION OF THE SWITCH MEANS. 